Telephone system



Aug. 11, 1931. E. P. G. WRIGHT TELEPHONE SYSTEM Filed Sept. 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 //V I/E' N TUE 15'. I? B WR/BHT H s l \h H WN AITUENEY Aug. 11, 1931.- E. P. e. WRlGHT TELEPHONE SYSTEM Filed Sept. 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mg 63 m3 R3 Wm n ma? .2 UW won llllrliw My INVENTUR E. f. 62 WRIGHT 9.5%.

A Tran/mew Aug. 11, 1931. E. P. a. WRIGHT 1,313,026

TELEPHONE sYsTm'a Filed Sebt; 20, 1929 v4 Sheets-Sheet a l OOOOOOOOOOOOOOQOGO090009000QOOOOOQOOOOOOOOO 0 lllLLLl ,LmLon o ooooool iooooconn coooooo /NVEN 70/? E. I? 6! M16117 g: 1 BY aaamw A 7' TUBA/E) Aug. 11, 1931. E. P. s. WRIGHT 1,313,026

TELEPHONE SYSTEM Filed Sept. 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 CALL A/wvauA/cER MwH/NE IN VE N 70/? 5. I? 5. WR/BH? g BY waamw- I v ATTORNEY '15 of the number of a wanted party.

Patented Aug. 11, 1931 uurrsn STATES mew era-er 'nsivronn P. s. WRIGHT, F CROYDON, ENGLAND, AssIGNoB. 'ro wnsrnnn ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A conrona'rron or NEW YORK TELEPHONE SYSTEM Application filed September 20, 1929, Serial No. 333,872, and in Great Britain December 20, 1928.

p This invention relates to automatic and semi-automatic telephone exchange systems and,moreparticularly to arrangements in which a wanted line designation is stored in registering apparatus located at one ofiice and is transmitted over a selected junction line toanother ofiicet v v v Such an arrangement finds application, for example, in systems in which it is required to transmit over a junction extending from an automatic ofiice to a manual office, voice current signals characteristic of a wanted line designation whereby a manual, operator at the last-mentioned otfice is informed verbally More specifically, the invention contemplates means effectiveif successive digits of a wanted line designation are of the same numerical value to translate the designation into voice ourrent signals, the verbal equivalents of which are different from the verbal equivalents of the recorded digits.

The invention finds one specific embodiment in a system in which the conversation switches are set under the control of control circuits, each common to a group of conversation switches but individual to the switching stage to which the group belongs. Such a system is fully disclosed in British Patent 324,982, to which reference is hereby made for a. description of the circuits and operation not disclosed in the present application and which are not essential to an understanding thereof. A general reference is also made to U. S. Patent 1,678,103, granted to H. C. CaverlyJuly 24, 1928,-for one form of annunciator mechanism for generating voice current signals.

Referring now to the accompanying draw- 4 ings.

Fig. 1 shows to the left of the broken line a conversation group finder. switch of the no-normal step by-step single-motion type having access to a plurality of groups of junctions. At the right of the broken line is shown the end of the junction at the manual otlice together with an operators cord circuit at that office.

Fig. 2 indicates a control circuit common to a plurality of conversation finders comprising a single-motion homing switch L R1 having wipers and banks 1 to 9, and a singlemotionnon-homing switch R2havingwipe'rs and banks C, T, M. The first positions of theswitch R1 are used for controllingthe operation of the switch R2 and, accordingly, marking wires extend from the bank ,9to groups of contacts in the bank C corresponding to the groups of outgoing junctions. The subsequent positions oftheswitch R1 are used for associating the control and annunciator circuits witha predetermined conversation finder. Marking wires also extend between the bank M of the switchR2 and the banksof the associated conversation finders. The terminals of the test bank T of the switch R2 are multipled to corresponding terminals of the banks H of the associated conversation finders. The finder and its control circuit is designed to be taken into use from a preceding group selectingstage of the kind fully described in the above identified British patent. v

Figs. 3 and 4 indicate an annunciator circuit which is permanently associated with the control circuit shown in F 1 over wires 101 116. g I k I Fig. 5 indicates the proper arrangement of Figs. 1 to 4. I

In the establishment of a connection a calling subscriber becomes connected by means of first and second line finders with a group finder with which is associated an idle control circuit. This control circuit includes two switches, a, control switch and a by-pass switch. The control switch is set accordance with the first digit dialed, after which the by-pass switch hunts for an idle second group finder in the group marked by the control switch. This second group finder may be the finder shown in Fig. 1 of thepresent disclosure or other similar group finders may intervene. At the same time the control switch hunts for the first group finder with which the subscribers line has been connected and which will replace the bypass switch. The group finder is then set on the trunk selected by the by-pass switch. Meanwhile the second digit is passing over the bypass switch to the control circuit shown in Fig. 1. This control circuit functions in a manner similar to the control circuit of the first group finder but since this second group finder has access to trunks outgoing to a manual o'liice the remaining digits are recorded on relay registers in the control circuit and when the man ual operator responds are transmitted in the form of voice current signals to that operator.

The machine for gene 'ating voice current signals may be of any suitable form such as a phonograph record, photographic .[ilm in combination with a light valve, etc. The digits 1 to zero together with the letters for designating the party lines, it party lines are used, and such other suitable words as double or tandem, etc. are recorded. Means for picking up the sound generated by these records and amplifying them is provided for each record and the control circuit is arranged so that the setting of a control circuit register in response to a particular digit will provide a circuit for causing the transmission of the voice current signal corresponding to that digit to the operator at the distant out fice. In case the thousands and hundreds digits are the same or the tens and units digits are the same, the thousands or tens register is reset by operating all of the relays of that register and the word double is transmitted in place of the digit recorded. Other words may, of course, be transmitted to care for other conditions. The generating machine carries a pair of pick-up cams so that the circuit for transmitting the digits can be closed only at the beginning of the digit.

A call will now be traced in detail.

The selector repeater circuit wit-h its associated control and announcer circuit is tested through the wire T, BS1, 25 i, wire 111, Wiper and home contact of the bank 9 of the switch R3, wire 11st, bank contact and wiper of the bank 9 of the switch R1, t9, M, to r sistance and battery. hen the by-pass switch at the preceding switching stage switches through in the maner fully described in the above identified British patent over the by-pass conductors BP and BP+, the relay A is operated and closes an obvious circuit for relay B through (12. Relay B places ground on the test wire at 61 and removes the battery from the test wire at 64:. At the first impulse, relay A releases but relay B being of the slow release type remains operated and completes a circuit for the magnet RL through M, 65, 53, winding of relay C, (21

to ground. At the end of the impulse, relay A reoperates and the switch R1 steps into position 2. In this way the switch R1 takes one step for each impulse and relay C remains operated, being of the slow to release type.

At the end of the impulsing, when relay G releases, a circuit is completed for relay E through 02, the bank contact and wiper of the bank 3 of the switch R1, interrupter springs, and ground at 6. Relay E locks up through 08 to ground at 61. Relay E also completes the driving circuit for the switch R2 through its interrupter springs, ]L2, (23, 292, 92, bl to ground. Ground at 65 is extended to the wiper 9 oi the switch R1 via t9 and depending upon the position in which the switch R1 has come to rest it will be extended to a group of contacts of the bank C of the switch R2. lVhen the wipers of the switch R2 are passing over this group of contacts the ground from 55 will be extended over 4 through the winding of relay P, 7L9 to the bank T of the switch R2 and if this switch passes over a free contact which is characterized by a battery potential, relay P will operate, opening the driving circuit at 792 and completing a circuit via g2, 61 for relay H at 391. Relay H will lock through 721, $1 to ground at 61. The operation of relay I-I places a ground potential through 718 on the test wiper T to mark the junction busy.

Meanwhile a second series of impulses may be in the course of being received, each impulse operating the magnet through the wire :05, e6, 64. 723. winding of relay (l and .1 to ,q'roiuid. At the end of impulsing, relay 0 releases and completes a circuit from ground on the bank contacts of the bank l of the switch R3 to wire 102, 01, wire 103. to the wipers of the banks 52, 3. 4 and 5 of the switch The position of the switch R3 will determine which of the relays MA. MB, MC and MD will be operated by this circuit. It. for example, the digit 7 is dialed only the relay hill will operate whereas it the digit 1 is dialed only relay MB will. operate. In either case the relay will locl; up over its second windin to ground through the wire 101, 052, and the 1 lay Zia which is slow to operate will operate in series with the operating' windin 3, of the storing relays. The relay ZA will complete the following circuit for the magnet through the wire 105, 06. e l, b3, winding of relay G, wire 108 m1, 202, contacts and wiper of the bank 7 of the switch R3, interrnpter springs to ground. The contacts of the bank 7 are multiplied together to cause the switch to step forward until the switch reaches position 12. In this position the ground connection to the bank contacts of the bank 1 is not connected so that when relay C releases there is no ground on the wipers of the banks 2, 3, 4 and In a similar way, when the next set of impulses is received the su tch steps 'a number of steps corresponding to the c -it dialed and when relay releases a cert l combination of the relays CA, CB, CC and CD together with relay ZA are operated and the switch R3 is caused to step lm'ward to position In this position a circuit will be extended to the wipers 2, 3, and 53 if the combination of relays which have been operated to store the thousands the relays digit corresponds exactly with the relays operated to store the hundreds digit. his circuit may be traced from ground through the interrupter springs to the wiper of the switch having access to bank 7, bank contact of position 23 of bank 7, contact 8 or 9 of relays CD, MD, MG, CC, CB, MB, contacts 4 or ot the relays MA and CA to the wipers 2, 3, l ano 5 which in position 23 are connected to MA, MB, MC and MD which will cause the operation of any of these relays which are in a normal condition. In a similar way the tens impulses will cause the operation of a. combination of the relays DA, DE. DC, DD and the units impulses will be stored on e relays UA, U13, U0, UD, the switch R3 going to positions 8% and respectively attorthe reception of the tens and units digits. ln position 45 a circuit is again completed if the tens and units digits are similar to cause the operation of any of the relays DA, DE, DC and DD which were in a nor- 1 al condition. This circuit is completed over contacts 4 or 5 of the relays UA and DA a nd contacts 8 or 9 of the relays DB, U13, UC, DC, DD, UD.

lVhen the relay H, Fig. 2, operated a circuit was completed for the magnet R1 through 7L3, interrupter springs and 2 6 to ground. This ciin: pt causes the switch ill to st p until the relay operates over wiper and contact of bank 2 to ground on the H wire of the associated predetermined tinder through contacts 225?. W hen relay T operates it opens at $6 to the driving circuit of the switch ll, opens at l the circuit holding the previous control circuit and closes a locking circuit at which maintains a ground potential on the H wire of the selector to maintain the previous switching relays operated. Contacts t3 complete the by path through he wiper and contact of bank 1 of the switrh Via 555 and (Z53. he positive side of the loop is replaced through (Z82 and 6-53 to ground. .Qontacts 67 complete a circuit for the magnet til-t through hi. ti", ml and the wiper and contact of the bank 6, a sp ark quenching combination being intro duce d over the banlt 5. T he finder is causeo to step forward until the wiper Bl reaches a position multipled to the bank M of the switch R2 in which position the circuit for the relay M is compl ted at 258. When relay M operates the left hand winding of relay 1, Fig. 3, is bridged across the outgoing and wires and the following loop circuit is completed: ground, s2, l, line, Z2811, bani: 8 of switch R1, m2, wire 110, left hand winding of relay I wire 109, bank 7 of switch R1, 689, line, kl, relay L to battery. Belay l1 lights the calling lamp 02, but relay 1 does not respond due to the high resistance of relay L. Va hen the operator plugs in. the sleeve relay l; operates, disconnects the line relay L at 701, k2 and extinguishes the lamp G2 at 703. The left hand winding of relay N is substituted for relay L but this winding is of sutiiciently high resistance also to prevent the operation of relay 1. When the operator throws her listening key the relay N is short-circuited and the operators circuit is introduced in the loop over relay I, which now operates and prepares the circuit for relay SA through 2'2 and wire 214 to apullup cam carried by the call announcer machine. Each time this interrupter closes, the relay SA operates and a moment later locks for a short interval over wire 213 and a second interrupter also carried by the machine.

Both these cams are connected to ground.

lVhen the switch reaches position 45 if it has not already done so, a circuit is completed for the magnet of this switch R3 over the wire 105, 06, wire lO-l, m3, bank contacts and wiper of the brunt: 7 of the switch R3 and through the interrupter springs to ground. T he call announcer machine which is revolving continuously causes one operation of the relay SA for each announcing period and consequently the switch R3 tome at the rate of one step for each announcing period. i hen the switch R3 reaches position 48 a circuit is completed from the right hand winding of the relay 1 which is connected to battery, the wiper and bank contact of the bani-r 8 of the switch R3 to the chain of relay contacts either through maQ or ma which have bee set in operation by the first of the four digits received by the switch R3. If the digit dialed was 1 connection will be made with the wire 201. it the digit was 5 connection will be made w'th the wire 207, it the di -it was 0 connection will be made with the wire 210 and if the first two digits were the same all the relays of the series would be operated and connection would be made with th wire 211. As previously described these eleven wires run to pick-ups associated with the call announcer machine from which each of the wires 201 to 210 will rece' e the corresponding number one to ten or Zero. The pick-up connected to wire 211 will receive the word double so that if the thousands and hundreds or tens and units digits are the same the word double will be sent out in place of a thousands or tens digit followed by the proper hundreds or units digit. Each of these eleven pick-ups has an associated amplifier low last two digits in order to simulate the manual practice of pausing between certain digits. In position 51 the pick-ups are again connected through the contacts of the relays 5 representing the tens digit and in the home 7 position asimilar set of contacts resprcsenting the units digitare connected through contacts m It will be seen that relay RA becomes op- O erated during the first operation of the relay SA and remains locked up over m1, wire 101 and 02. When relay SA operates in a home position a circuit is completed over interrupter springs, wiper and contact of bank 7, 5 m2, wire 10?, 71 5, wiper and bank contact of the bank 4 of the switch. R1, (1 .32, to the relay BS and battery. Relay BS operates, closes the circuit for relay AS over the calling loop. Relay AS closes at (051 a locking 0 circuit for relay BS which disconnects the control and annuneiator circuit. All the operated relays in the control and annnn ciator circuit new release and a restoring circuit closed for the switch via he, 05, b2, 5 oil normal bank 3 and interrupter springs to ground at 256. Relay BS also introduces the impcdances IS and the upper winding of shunt field relay DS in the forward loop at 588 and ball) and opens the circuit from 0 the announcer at D39 and ball. Contacts 656 provide a ground potential on the hold wire H to maintain the previous switching relays. Contacts @812. apply a ground potential to the H wiper forward to maintain the junction in an engaged condition. When the called subscriber answers, the current fed out from the manual end is reversed causing the operation of the relay DS which in turn reverses the current in the calling subscribefis circuit thereby giving a metering signal. lVhe-n the calling subscriber hangs up at the end. of the .coni ion the relay AS re stores and after a period relay BS releases also removing earth from the hold wires and opening the circuit for the lower winding of relay DS.

If the call to he tandemed through one manual ollice to a second ofiice after the switch R1 has respo ided to a particular digit indicative of tandem call, the tandem relay TA will be operated through A10, 03, m3, bank contact and wiper of the bank 9 of the switch R1, 69. to ground. The operation r of relay TA which will lock up over ta l, wire 0 116. ro l, to groinid will transfer at me the marl-ting ground from the bank contact on which switch R1 is resting to the group of junctions leading direct to the oil 1e through which the call to be tandemed. In consequence if a call made for an oilice with a code discrimination 4; and is to be tandenied through an other; with a. code discrimination 3. the operation of relay TA. will cause the 3rd and lth contacts on the bank 9 of the switch R1 to be oined together. The switch B2 will therefore proceed to find an idle junction to the tandem oiilce and the call will proceed as already described until the switch R3 reaches position 46. It will be seen that in this position a circuit is completed for the right hand winding of relay I through m5, ii this relay is operated, to the wire 212 which is associated with the pick-up giving a tandem signal which will be repeated in the same way the numerical portion of the call to the manual operator. Contacts m1 will prevent the switch R3 from stepping forward until the TA relay has released. hen relay TA operated the locking circuit of relay TA was made dependent upon relay I and this relay will fall back .as soon as the operator at the tandem exchange restores her listening key LK (thereby reintroducing the left hand winding of relay N into the loop) and extends the call to the second operator. The relay N also at n1 closes the forward loop to the second operator so that when the distant operator throws her listening key relay Q will operate, short circuiting high resistance left hand winding of relay N with its low resistance right hand winding and thereby causing the re-energizw tion of relay I in the announcer. lVhen relay l reoperates the circuit will be again closed for relay SA in conjunction with the call announcer cams and the numbers stored in the announcer will be sent out. Relay M is a supervisory relay which will be operated when the called subscriber replies and its contacts m1, m2 will reverse the direction of current to the automatic exchange.

If tandem calls are required to be made over other groups of junctions the circuit is modified so that in positions of the switch R1 corresponding to the code discriminations of the distant oflices, circuits are completed over the bank 9 for the relay TA which will. be provided with additional contacts over which pairs of terminals of the bank 9 are joined together so that the marking ground is transferred to the control terminal which is associated with the group of junctions leading to the oiiice through which the call is to be tandemed.

If all the junctions in the required group are engaged the switch R2 will continue testing during the time the first three digits are being received in the R3 switch which on reaching position 34 will close a circuit over the wiper and bank contact of the bank 7, the wire 115, 7L6 to relay G which on operating will lock up through g5 to ground at 61, open the testing circuit of relay P at 94, open the driving circuit of the magnet R2 at 2, connect busy tone over lead PM to the calling subscriber at g1, and connect the magnet R1 through 3 and. the interrupter springs to ground at t6 causing that switch to associate the control with the predetermined finder. When the subscriber hangs up reism lays A and B cause the connection to break down.

It is apparent that the present invention contemplates such modifications as expansion to care for three like digits, or variation to announce the words hundred and thousand commonly used in the United States.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telephone system, a selection control device, an operators position, means for recording the elements of a telephone designation in said device, means for generating voice current signals, means under control of said recording means and said generating means for transmitting voice current signals to said operators position, and means for translating one or more of the recorded elements into voice current signals, the verbal equivalents of which are different from the verbal equivalents of the recorded elements.

2. In a telephone system, a selection control device, an operators position, means for recording the digits of a telephone designation in said device, means for generating voice current signals, means under control of said recording means and said generating means for transmitting voice current signals to said operators position, and means for translating one or more of the recorded digits into voice current signals, the verbal equivalents of which are difierent from the verbal equivalents of the recorded digits, said translation being determined by the values of two or more of said recorded digits.

3. In a telephone system, a selection control device, an operators position, means for recording the digits of a telephone designation in said device, means for generating voice current signlas, means under control of said recording means and said generating means for transmitting voice current signals to said operators position, and means effective if two successive recorded digits are of like value to translate the first of said digits into a voice current signal to indicate that the two digits are of the same value.

4. In a telephone system, a selection control device, an operators position, means for recording the digits of a telephone designation in said device, means for generating voice current signals, means under control of said recording means and said generating means for transmitting voice current signals to said operators position, and means eiiective if two successive recorded digits are of like value to translate the first of said digits into a voice current signal equivalent to the word double to indicate that the two digits are of the same value.

5. In a telephone system, a selection con trol device, an operators position, means responsive to the oflice designating portion of a wanted number, means responsive to the numerical portion of a wanted number,

means for automatically transforming the numerical portion of said wanted number into voice current signals characteristic of said numerical portion and transmitting said voice current signals to such operators position, and means effective if theoflice designating portion of the wanted number is indicative of a tandem call to transmit only a single predetermined voice current signal to said operators position.

6. In a telephone system, an operators position, a selection control device, means for recording the digits of a telephone designation in said device, said recording means coniprising a switch adapted to respond successively to the numerical digits of said telephone designation and a plurality of groups of storage relays operated over the contacts of said switch, means for generating'voice current signals, and means under the control or" said storage relays for transmitting voice current signals characteristic of said telephone designation to said operators position.

7. In a telephone system, an operators position, a selection control device, means for recording the digits of a telephone designation in said device, said recording means comprising a switch adapted to respond successively to the numerical digits of said telephone designation and a plurality'of groups of storage relays operated over the contacts of said switch, means for generating voice current signals, means under the controlof said storage relays for preparing circuits for transmitting voice current signals characteristic of said telephone designation to said operators position, and means for advancing said switch to successively complete said prepared circuits. i l

8. In a telephone system, an operators position, a selection control device, means for recording the digits of a telephone designs.- tion in said device, said recording means comprising a switch adapted to'respond successively to the numerical digits of said telephone designation, a plurality of groups of storage relays operated over the contacts of said switch, and means for advancing said switch to an intermediate position following its response to each digit, means for generating voice current signals, and means under the control of said storage relays for transmitting voice current signals characteristic of said telephone designation to said opera tors position. p

9. In. a telephone system, an op erators position, a selection control device, means for recording the digits of a telephone designation in said device, said recording means comprising a switch adapted to respond successively to the numerical digits of said telephone designation and a plurality of groups of storage relays operated over the contacts of said switch, means for advancing said switch to an intermediate position following the response to each digit, means for gener- 4.30

ating voice current signals, means under the control of said storage relays for transmitting voice current signals characteristic of said telephone designation to said operators position, and means effective in certain of said intermediate positions to determine whether the preceding pair of stored digits are of the same value.

10. In a telephone system, an operators 10 position, a selection control device, means for recording the digits of a telephone designation in said device, said recording means comprising a switch adapted to respond successively to the numerical digits of said telephone designation and a plurality of groups of storage relays operated over the contacts of said switch, means for advancing said switch to an intermediate position following its response to each digit, means effective in certain of said intermediate positions to test whether the preceding pair of stored digits are of the same value, means for generating voice current signals, means under the control of said storage relays for transmitting voice current signals characteristic of the digits of said telephone designation to said operators position, and means responsive to said testing means to translate certain of said digits into voice current signals, the verbal 3 equivalents of which are different from the verbal equivalents of the recorded digits.

11. In a telephone system, an operators position, a selection control device, means for recording the digits of a telephone designation in said device, said recording means comprising a switch adapted to respond successively to the numerical digits of said tele phone designation and a plurality of groups of storage relays operated over the contacts 10 of said switch, means for advancing said switch to an intermediate position following its response to each digit, means effective in certain of said intermediate positions to test whether the preceding pair of stored digits are of the same value, means for generating voice current signals, means under the control of said storage relays for transmitting voice current signals characteristic of the digits of said telephone designation to said operators position, and means responsive to said testing means to operate additional storage relays, whereby certain of said digits are translated into voice current signals, the Verbal equivalents of which are different from the verbal equivalents of the recorded digits. In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 20th day of August, 1929.

ESMOND P. G. XVRIGHT, 

